The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has detained an Indian national offering spiritual guidance sessions in the Maldives, the agency has said. Another individual who had been assisting the Indian national has also been detained.
According to the police, the Indian national had promoted his services through social media and had entered the country on a tourist visa, potentially violating the Religious Unity Act and Immigration Act.
The primary individual in police detention is believed to be the founder and owner of the ‘Agnitra Foundation,’ which claims to be “a holistic science-based NGO owned and operated by Dr Ganesh Dubey, a spiritual guru.” Sponsored social media posts with the foundation’s branding had advertised that the ‘Guru ji,’ Dubey, would be in the Maldives from 29 August to 3 September.
While posts promoting sessions appear to have since been removed from the foundation’s social media feeds, an apology has been posted online, which reads, “We deeply apologise if the post inadvertently gave rise to misunderstandings. We understand the importance of avoiding sensitive topics and controversies, and we assure you that we are committed to maintaining a harmonious and inclusive environment within our community.”